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Abstract:

A compression garment, for example a pair of compression shorts (10, 210,
310), has a trunk section (20), a left leg section (30) and a right leg
section (40) constructed from a resilient material. The trunk section
(20) is reinforced such that a wearer's pelvic region is subjected to a
first compressive force acting diagonally across a front portion of the
trunk section from left to right and a second compressive force acting
diagonally from right to left. The range of motion at the wearer's hips
is preferably not restricted by the reinforcement.

Claims:

1. A compression garment fabricated from a resilient material and
comprising; a trunk section for conforming to a wearer's pelvic region,
the trunk section having a front portion and a rear portion meeting at
left and right side-seams, a left leg section for conforming to at least
an upper portion of the wearer's left leg, the left leg section joining
the trunk section at a left leg-shoulder-seam, and a right leg section
for conforming to at least an upper portion of the wearer's right leg,
the right leg section joining the trunk section at a right
leg-shoulder-seam, in which the trunk section is reinforced such that
when the garment is worn the wearer's pelvic region is compressed by a
first force acting in a direction extending substantially
diagonally-downwards across the front portion between the left side-seam
and the right leg-shoulder-seam, and a second force acting in a direction
extending substantially diagonally-downwards across the front portion
between the right side-seam and the left leg-shoulder-seam.

2. A compression garment according to claim 1 in which the first force is
generated by a front reinforcement panel or panels extending diagonally
across the front portion of the trunk section and attached to the garment
at the left side-seam and the right leg-shoulder-seam, and the second
force is generated by a front reinforcement panel or panels extending
diagonally across the front portion of the trunk section and attached to
the garment at the right side-seam and the left leg-shoulder-seam.

3. A compression garment according to claim 2 in which the first and
second forces are generated by separate first and second front
reinforcement panels.

4. A compression garment according to claim 3 in which the first and
second front reinforcement panels cross each other at a point covering
the wearer's symphysis pubis joint.

5. A compression garment according to claim 1 in which first and second
forces act in directions extending diagonally-downwards at an angle of
between 20 degrees and 35 degrees from a horizontal direction across the
front of the garment.

6. A compression garment according to claim 3 in which the first and
second front reinforcement panels have a length dimension extending
substantially diagonally between a side-seam and a leg-shoulder-seam, and
a width dimension substantially perpendicular to the length dimension, in
which the width dimension is between 5 cm and 15 cm, preferably between 6
cm and 10 cm.

7. A compression garment according to claim 1 in which the first and
second forces are generated by a single front reinforcement panel.

8. A compression garment according to claim 7, in which an upper left
portion of the front reinforcement panel is attached to the garment at
the left side-seam, an upper right portion of the front reinforcement
panel is attached to the garment at the right side-seam, a lower left
portion of the front reinforcement panel is attached to the garment at
the left leg-shoulder-seam, and a lower right portion of the front
reinforcement panel is attached to the garment at the right
leg-shoulder-seam.

9. A compression garment according to claim 7 in which the front
reinforcement panel is substantially X-shaped.

10. A compression garment according to claim 7 in which the front
reinforcement panel is narrower at a central portion covering a wearer's
symphysis pubis than at either edge portion at which it attaches to the
garment at left and right side-seams.

11. A compression garment according to claim 1 in which the trunk section
is reinforced such that when the garment is worn the wearer's pelvic
region is compressed by a third force extending substantially
horizontally across the rear portion between the left side-seam and the
right side-seam.

12. A compression garment according to claim 11 in which the third force
is generated by a rear reinforcement panel or panels attached to the
garment at the left side-seam and at the right side-seam and covering,
when worn, the wearer's left and right sacroiliac joints.

13. A compression garment according to claim 12 in which the width of the
rear reinforcement panel or panels is between 5 cm and 15 cm where it
joins to the left and right side-seams, and preferably between 6 cm and
10 cm.

14. A compression garment according to claim 12 in which the rear
reinforcement panel has a greater width at a central point between the
left and right seams than at the left and right seams.

15. A compression garment according to claim 1 in which the trunk section
has an upper edge defining an opening for encircling the wearer's torso,
and one or more darts are formed in the upper edge to improve engagement
of the garment with the wearer's torso.

16. A compression garment according to claim 1 in which the left leg
section defines a left leg opening for encircling the wearer's left leg
above the wearer's left knee, and the right leg section defines a right
leg opening for encircling the wearer's right leg above the wearer's
right knee, preferably in which the left and right openings are between 1
cm and 25 cm above the wearer's knees, the compression garment being a
pair of compression shorts.

17. A compression garment according to claim 1 which, when worn, provides
a compressive force to the wearer's left and right sacroiliac joints and
the wearer's symphysis pubis joint.

18. A compression garment according to claim 1 in which there is no
reinforcement of the leg sections of the garment.

19. A compression garment according to claim 1 in which reinforcement to
the garment provides no substantial limitation to the wearer's active
range of motion during hip flexion.

20. A compression garment according to claim 1 which increases force
closure of the wearer's symphysis pubis.

21. A compression garment according to claim 1 in which, when the garment
is worn, the compression force generated at the hips, as measured at the
left or right side-seam, is between 15 and 28 mm Hg, preferably between
20 and 25 mm Hg, particularly preferably about 23 mm Hg.

22. A compression garment fabricated from a resilient material and
comprising; a trunk section for conforming to a wearer's pelvic region, a
left leg section for conforming to at least an upper portion of the
wearer's left leg, and a right leg section for conforming to at least an
upper portion of the wearer's right leg, in which the trunk section is
reinforced by panels of resilient material such that compressive forces
are provided, when the garment is worn, to the wearer's sacroiliac joints
and symphysis pubis, and in which no reinforcement panels extend to
either leg section such that the wearer maintains a full range of leg
movement.

23. A compression garment according to claim 22 in which a rear portion
of the trunk section is reinforced by a panel or panels of a resilient
material extending horizontally across a rear portion of the trunk
section.

24. A compression garment according to claim 22 in which a front portion
of the trunk section is reinforced by a panel or panels of a resilient
material extending diagonally across the front portion from left to right
and from right to left.

25. A compression garment according to claim 24 in which the panel or
panels extend between an upper left side portion of the garment to a
lower right groin portion of the garment and from an upper right side of
the garment to a lower left groin portion of the garment.

26. The use of a compression garment according to claim 1 for the
treatment of lumbopelvic injury or disorder.

27. The use of a compression garment according to claim 1 as a
prophylactic measure against lumbopelvic injury or disorder.

28. The use of a compression garment according to claim 22 for the
treatment of lumbopelvic injury or disorder.

29. The use of a compression garment according to claim 22 as a
prophylactic measure against lumbopelvic injury or disorder.

Description:

[0001] The invention relates to a compression garment and in particular to
a pair of athletic compression shorts for prevention of or treatment of
pelvic disorders and injuries.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The Lumbopelvic region encompasses the sacroiliac joints, the
symphysis pubis, and the groin (adductor) muscles. There are many
structures such as ligaments and muscles contributing to stability in
this region, and dysfunction in any structure can result in pain and/or
instability.

[0003] Pelvic disorders and injuries, such as athletic lumbopelvic
dysfunction (LPD), are a common problem among male and female athletes
participating in sporting activities. Lumbopelvic pain often results from
overexertion and/or overuse of the pelvis, and can lead to conditions
including adductor tears, sacroiliac joint dysfunction and osteitis
pubis. Such injuries are often refractory to treatment and can limit an
athlete's return to competitive sport.

[0004] Due to many pelvic structures being linked anatomically, there is
often a difficulty in diagnosing the primary site of pain or dysfunction.
Often there is more than one structure involved; for example, there may
be a hip, groin, lumbar spine and/or abdominal component involved in the
disorder. Pelvic disorders are, therefore, often difficult to diagnose
accurately as there is often more than one site of injury. Secondary
sources of pain are often missed and often not accounted for in
treatments prescribed for primary sources of pain. Groin pain may occur
in between 2-5% of all sports injuries, and the incidence of groin pain
may be far higher in some sports, for example groin pain may occur with
between 10-18% of all football injuries.

[0005] A wide range of techniques are currently used to treat pelvic
injuries, for example electrotherapy, surgery, strengthening and
stabilisation of the pelvic joints and hydrotherapy. Research using
pelvic belts has indicated that compressive forces applied transversely
to the pelvis can result in an improved lumbopelvic stability and reduced
lumbopelvic pain. Dynamic elastomeric fabric orthoses (DEFOs) such as
compression shorts have also been used for preventing and treating
athletic lumbopelvic injuries.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 6,430,752 discloses a pair of compression shorts for
restricting movement in certain areas of a wearer's body to protect
injured or recovering muscles. However, the compression shorts of U.S.
Pat. No. 6,430,752 have been reported to restrict an athlete's range of
motion during hip flexion. Such a restricted range of motion is likely to
affect the performance of athletes participating in their sport while
wearing the shorts. Any loss of performance caused by the restricted
range of motion will be more keenly felt in technical sports such as high
jump, triple jump, or hurdles.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0007] The invention provides compression garments and methods as defined
in the appended independent claims, to which reference should now be
made. Preferred or advantageous features of the invention are defined in
various dependent sub-claims.

[0008] The inventors of the compression garments according to various
aspects of the invention set out to develop a DEFO that could be used to
aid in the management of a wide range of lumbopelvic disorders, and may
also be worn on a day-to-day basis by athletes whilst actively
participating in their sport to help prevent occurrence of pelvic and
groin injuries.

[0009] To help inform the design of the garment a study was performed to
determine the impact of the direction of an applied force on athletic
lumbopelvic pain. A sample of athletically active male and female
subjects with pelvic pain were selected, between them the subjects
participating in a wide range of sports including rugby, running,
football, sailing, power walking, badminton and squash.

[0010] Compressive belts were used to apply a number of different
compression conditions to the pelvic region of each subject. The
conditions applied were, transverse compression, diagonal compression
towards a site of pain, diagonal compression away from a site of pain,
and bilateral diagonal compression. For each compression condition the
subjects underwent various tests and the levels of pain were assessed. As
a control, the subjects underwent the same tests with no compression
applied to the pelvic region.

[0011] The results of the test showed that different compressions relived
pain encountered under different testing conditions. Diagonal compressive
forces were most effective at relieving pain during function. The
inventors set out to design a compression garment that could be worn to
manage lumbopelvic pain and function pain in a wide range of subjects and
still be worn while performing athletic activity.

[0012] Thus, in a first aspect the invention may provide a compression
garment, for example a pair of compression shorts, fabricated from a
resilient material. The compression garment comprises a trunk section for
conforming to a wearer's pelvic region, a left leg section and a right
leg section. The trunk section has a front portion and a rear portion
that meet at left and right side-seams of the garment to encircle a
wearer's hips. The front portion and rear portion of the trunk section
may also meet at a crotch-seam in embodiments of the garment where an
anatomical fit to the crotch region is desirable. Each leg section is
joined to the trunk section at a seam that encircles an upper portion of
the wearer's left and right leg respectively. This seam follows the line
of a wearer's groin and may be termed a groin-seam or a
leg-shoulder-seam.

[0013] It is preferred that the trunk section and the leg sections are
made from a resilient elastomeric fabric that conforms to the wearer's
body shape but does not exert any strong forces that may restrict
movement of the wearer's legs. Thus, it is preferred that the material is
highly elastic such that it allows free movement of the hips and legs.
Suitable materials are well known in the manufacture of close fitting
garments, for example various Lycra/Spandex materials.

[0014] The trunk section is reinforced such that, when the shorts are
worn, the wearer's pelvic region is compressed by a first force acting in
a direction extending substantially diagonally-downwards across the front
portion between the left side-seam and the right leg-shoulder-seam, and a
second force acting in a direction extending substantially
diagonally-downwards across the front portion between the right side-seam
and the left leg-shoulder-seam.

[0015] Thus, the reinforcement to the trunk section provides a bilateral
diagonal compression to the wearer's pelvic region. Such a compression
may provide a compressive force to the symphysis pubis joint and increase
the force closure of the pelvis. The diagonal bilateral compression may
also influence the wearer's anterior diagonal muscle slings. This
combination may increase the core stability of a subject wearing the
garment, thereby reducing the subject's risk of injury while
participating in sports, or may assist the subject's recovery from an
existing injury.

[0016] A further effect of the reinforcement of the trunk section is that
proprioception of the anterior pelvic region and the symphysis pubis
joint may be significantly increased. Proprioception is a term relating
to an individual's subconscious awareness of a bodily region such as a
joint or a limb. By increasing proprioception of the anterior pelvic
region and the symphysis pubis in particular, a wearer may be less likely
to overexert that region during sporting activity.

[0017] The reinforcement of the trunk section only has a compressive
effect on the pelvic region of the wearer. As the reinforcing forces only
extend between a side-seam of the garment and a leg-shoulder-seam, the
legs of the wearer are not restricted by the reinforcing force. Although
compression may be provided in a number of directions to the pelvis, and
the symphysis pubis joint may be compressed, the wearer's range of motion
at the hips is not substantially affected and the wearer's legs are free
to move with the same range of motion they would have in an un-reinforced
compression garment. This may provide the advantage that a sportsperson
or athlete can wear the garment while engaged in sporting activity,
without encountering a restricted range of mobility due to reinforcement
forces generated by the garment. Therefore the compression garment may,
if worn during sporting activity, have a prophylactic or preventative
effect against pelvic injuries and/or disorders.

[0018] Preferably, the first force is generated by a front reinforcement
panel, or a plurality of front reinforcement panels, extending diagonally
across the front portion of the trunk section and attached to the garment
at the left side-seam and the right leg-shoulder-seam, and the second
force is generated by a front reinforcement panel, or plurality of front
reinforcement panels, extending diagonally across the front portion of
the trunk section and attached to the garment at the right side-seam and
the left leg-shoulder-seam.

[0019] It is preferred that reinforcement panels are formed from a
material that provides less elastic deformation, or greater stiffness,
than the material used to construct the trunk and leg sections. This may
increase the ability of the reinforcement to exert force in predetermined
directions. Elastomeric fabrics such as Lycra are still suitable, but it
is preferred that the panels are formed from a material having sufficient
thickness, or from a sufficiently stiff material, to provide the required
reinforcement forces. The reinforcement panels may also be made from a
material that has anisotropic properties, i.e. a material that allows a
lower elastic deformation in one direction than in another.

[0020] In certain garments embodying the invention the first and second
forces may be generated by separate first and second front reinforcement
panels. Thus, the garment may have a first front reinforcement panel
extending from the left side-seam to the right leg-shoulder-seam and a
second front reinforcement panel extending from the right side-seam to
the left leg-shoulder-seam. Preferably the first and second front
reinforcement panels cross each other at a point covering the wearer's
symphysis pubis joint, and increase compression of the symphysis pubis
joint and increase proprioceptive awareness in this region.

[0021] It is preferred that the first and second forces act in directions
extending diagonally-downwards across the front portion of the trunk
section at an angle of between 20 degrees and 35 degrees from a
horizontal direction across the front of the garment. This is a
relatively shallow angle and may advantageously provide a force component
that acts transversely across the front of a wearer's pelvis, increasing
force closure and core stability.

[0022] The first and second front reinforcement panels are preferably
strips of material that have a length dimension extending substantially
diagonally between a side-seam and a leg-shoulder-seam, and a width
dimension substantially perpendicular to the length dimension. Preferably
the width dimension is between 5 cm and 15 cm, particularly preferably
between 6 cm and 10 cm. Each panel could be a single strip of material or
may be formed from a plurality of narrow strips of material arranged in
alignment across the front portion of the trunk section to provide the
required force components.

[0023] In a preferred garment embodying the invention the first and second
forces are generated by a single front reinforcement panel. Such a
reinforcement panel may be arranged such that an upper left portion of
the front reinforcement panel is attached to the garment at the left
side-seam, an upper right portion of the front reinforcement panel is
attached to the garment at the right side-seam, a lower left portion of
the front reinforcement panel is attached to the garment at the left
leg-shoulder-seam, and a lower right portion of the front reinforcement
panel is attached to the garment at the right leg-shoulder-seam. Thus,
the selection of the points of attachment of a single front reinforcement
panel to the garment allows bilateral diagonal compression forces to be
generated in the wearer's pelvis in the same way as if two, separate,
diagonally-crossing panels had been attached.

[0024] The single front reinforcement panel may be substantially x-shaped;
mimicking the shape formed by two, separate, panels attached to the
garment in a cross-over formation. The front panel may have other shapes,
however. For example, it may be advantageously possible to generate
transverse and longitudinal forces acting on the wearer's pelvic region
if the front reinforcement panel is substantially bow-tie shaped, i.e.
the panel may be wider at its edges where it attaches to the side-seams
than in its middle. Such a shape may allow the panel to be attached to a
greater length of the left and right side seams and may improve the
effectiveness of the reinforcement.

[0025] It is preferred that the trunk section is reinforced such that,
when the garment is worn, the wearer's pelvic region is compressed by a
third force extending substantially horizontally, or transversely, across
the rear portion between the left side-seam and the right side-seam. The
third force may be advantageously generated by a rear reinforcement
panel, or panels, attached to the garment at the left side-seam and at
the right side-seam. Preferably the rear reinforcement panel covers the
wearer's left and right sacroiliac joints. A rear reinforcement panel
preferably joins with the front reinforcement panels at the hip,
resulting in a garment comprising reinforcement panels encircling the
entire pelvis.

[0026] The width of the rear reinforcement panel, or panels, is preferably
between 5 cm and 15 cm, where it joins to the left and right side-seams,
and preferably between 6 cm and 10 cm. It may be preferable that the rear
reinforcement panel has a greater width at a central point between the
left and right seams than at the left and right seams. This may help to
increase the proprioceptive effect of the rear reinforcement panel on the
region around the wearer's sacroiliac joints.

[0027] The trunk section has an upper edge defining an opening for
encircling the wearer's torso at or above the wearer's waist.
Advantageously, one or more darts may be formed in the upper edge to
improve engagement of the garment with the wearer's torso. It may be
beneficial that the upper edge securely engages with a wearer's torso as
this may help maintain the reinforcement panels in an optimum position to
improve stability, force closure and proprioception at the pelvic region.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment of the invention the compression garment
is a pair of compression shorts. Thus, the left leg section may define a
left leg opening for encircling the wearer's left leg above the wearer's
left knee, and the right leg section may define a right leg opening for
encircling the wearer's right leg above the wearer's right knee. It is
advantageous for the leg openings to securely grip the leg of the wearer
as this may also assist the correct positioning of the reinforcement
panels on the trunk section. Preferably the left and right openings are
between 1 cm and 25 cm above the wearer's knees.

[0029] It is preferred that the compression garment provides a compressive
force to the wearer's left and right sacroiliac joints, and to the
wearer's symphysis pubis joint.

[0030] The garment may have compression panels or reinforcement attached
to the leg sections. Such panels or reinforcement should not affect the
wearer's range of motion of the leg, however. It is preferred that any
reinforcement to the garment provides no substantial limitation to the
wearer's active range of motion during hip flexion. It is also preferred
that there is no reinforcement of the leg sections of the garment.

[0031] It may be advantageous to the force closure of the various pelvic
joints that, when the garment is worn, a compression force generated at
the hips, as measured at the left or right side-seam, is between 15 and
28 mm Hg (approximately between 2000 and 3730 Pa (1 Pa=1 N/m2)),
preferably between 20 and 25 mm Hg (approximately between 2666 and 3333
Pa), particularly preferably about 23 mm Hg (approximately 3066 Pa).

[0032] In a second aspect the invention may provide a compression garment
fabricated from a resilient material and comprising, a trunk section for
conforming to a wearer's pelvic region, a left leg section for conforming
to at least an upper portion of the wearer's left leg, and a right leg
section for conforming to at least an upper portion of the wearer's right
leg. The trunk section is reinforced by panels of resilient material such
that compressive forces are provided, when the garment is worn, to the
wearer's sacroiliac joints and symphysis pubis, and in which no
reinforcement panels extend to either leg section. Thus, the leg movement
of the wearer is not hindered by the reinforcement panels applied to the
trunk section.

[0033] Preferably, a rear portion of the trunk section is reinforced by a
panel or panels of a resilient material extending horizontally across a
rear portion of the trunk section. Preferably, a front portion of the
trunk section is reinforced by a panel or panels of a resilient material
extending diagonally across the front portion from left to right and from
right to left. It may be particularly preferable that the panel or panels
on the front portion of the trunk section extend between an upper left
side portion of the garment to a lower right groin portion of the garment
and from an upper right side of the garment to a lower left groin portion
of the garment. As long as the panels do not extend beyond a wearer's
groin they are unlikely to adversely affect the range of movement of the
wearer's legs.

[0034] The reinforcement panel or panels of a garment according to this
second aspect of the invention mat be provided in any configuration as
described above in relation to the first aspect of the invention.

[0035] The invention may also provide for the use of a compression garment
according to any aspect described above when used for the treatment of
lumbopelvic injuries or disorders, or when used as a prophylactic to help
prevent lumbopelvic injuries or disorders. For example, a garment
according to an aspect of the invention may be used by an athlete engaged
in sporting activity such as training for, or competing in, and event.

SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0036] Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described with
reference to the figures, in which;

[0037] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a pair of compression
shorts according to a first embodiment of the invention;

[0040]FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of a pair of compression shorts
according to a second embodiment of the invention; and

[0041] FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of a pair of compression shorts
according to a third embodiment of the invention.

[0042] FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 illustrate a pair of compression shorts according
to a specific embodiment of the invention. The shorts 10 comprise a trunk
section 20 for conforming to a wearer's pelvic region, a left leg section
30 and a right leg section 40.

[0043] The trunk section 20 comprises a front, or anterior, portion 22 and
a rear, or posterior, portion 24. The front portion 22 and the rear
portion 24 are joined together at a left side-seam 50 and a right
side-seam 60 and at a crotch-seam (not visible in the figures). The trunk
section has an upper edge 70 defining an opening for encircling a
wearer's torso at or above the wearer's waistline. An upper hem 72 is
associated with the upper edge 70.

[0044] The left leg section 30 comprises a front portion 32 and a rear
portion 34 joined at the left side seam 50 and at a left inner-leg seam
38. The right leg section 40 comprises a front portion 42 and a rear
portion 44 joined at the right side seam 60 and at a left inner-leg seam
48. Both leg portions terminate at a lower edge 39, 49 defining openings
for encircling the wearer's left and right legs.

[0045] The left leg section 30 is attached to the trunk section 20 at a
left leg-shoulder-seam 80 that encircles an upper portion of the leg
section. The left leg-shoulder-seam encircles a wearer's leg at the
uppermost portion of the leg and follows the groin line of the wearer to
provide an anatomical fit to the body. Thus, as the wearer raises his
left knee, a front portion of the left leg-shoulder-seam will be
positioned in the fold formed by the wearer's groin. The right leg
section 40 is attached to the trunk section 20 at a right
leg-shoulder-seam 90 that corresponds to the left leg-shoulder-seam.

[0046] The trunk section 20 and both leg sections 30, 40 are manufactured
from an elastomeric material composed of 51% Polyamide, 32% Dorlastan and
17% Cotton. This base material is elastic, such that the garment conforms
to the wearer's body shape, and highly stretchable, to allow free
movement. This material composition is exemplary only, and many other
compositions are available to the skilled person that would perform the
same functions.

[0047] The front portion of the trunk section 22 is reinforced with a
first reinforcement panel 100. Ends of this reinforcement panel are
attached to the garment 10 at the left side-seam 50 and at the right
leg-shoulder-seam 90. Edges of this panel are stitched to the front
portion 22 (stitch lines 101 and 102) such that the panel extends
diagonally across the front portion. When worn, the reinforcement panels
generates a compressive force on the wearer's pelvis that acts in a
diagonal direction across the front portion 22 as indicated on FIG. 2 by
the arrow denoted A.

[0048] The front portion of the trunk section 22 is reinforced with a
second reinforcement panel 110. Ends of this reinforcement panel are
attached to the garment 10 at the right side-seam 60 and at the left
leg-shoulder-seam 80. Edges of this panel are stitched to the front
portion 22 (stitch lines 111 and 112) such that the panel extends
diagonally across the front portion. When worn, the reinforcement panels
generates a compressive force on the wearer's pelvis that acts in a
diagonal direction across the front portion 22 as indicated on FIG. 2 by
the arrow denoted B.

[0049] The rear portion of the trunk section 24 is reinforced with a third
reinforcement panel 120. Ends of this reinforcement panel are attached to
the garment 10 at the right side-seam 60 and at the left side-seam 50.
Edges of this panel are stitched to the front portion 22 (stitch lines
121 and 122) such that the panel extends horizontally across the rear
portion. When worn, the reinforcement panels generates a compressive
force that acts in a transverse direction across the rear portion 22 as
indicated on FIG. 2 by the arrow denoted C.

[0050] A dart 130 is formed in the upper edge 70 of the trunk section to
allow the garment to conform more closely to a wearer's torso. The dart
is closed by a line of stitching.

[0051] The upper edge 101 of the first reinforcement panel 100 intersects
with the left side-seam 50 at the same point 150 as the upper edge 121 of
the third reinforcement panel 120. Likewise, the upper edge 111 of the
second reinforcement panel 110 intersects with the right side-seam 60 at
the same point 160 as the upper edge 121 of the third reinforcement panel
120.

[0052] The width of the third reinforcement panel 120 may increase such
that the panel covers a wearer's sacroiliac joints.

[0053] The reinforcement panels are formed from a material having a
composition of 81% Polyamide and 19% Lycra (Spandex). This material
stretches less that the base material used for the trunk and leg
sections, and allows powerful forces to be developed. The compressive
force generated at the hip by shorts according to the invention has been
measured as 23 mm Hg.

[0054] The reinforcement of the front panel need not be achieved by a
single panel crossing the front portion of the trunk section diagonally
from left to right and a single panel crossing diagonally from right to
left. It could be envisaged that a plurality of narrower panels may be
deployed to achieve the same effect.

[0055] Alternatively, the reinforcement of the front panel may be achieved
by a single reinforcement panel.

[0056]FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of a second embodiment of a pair of
compression shorts 210 according to the invention. The shorts are the
same as the shorts described in the first embodiment above with the
difference that there is only a single front reinforcement panel 200. The
panel is substantially x-shaped and is joined to the left side-seam 50
between an upper point 250 and a lower point 251, and attached to the
right side-seam 60 between an upper point 260 and a lower point 261. The
panel 200 is attached to the left leg-shoulder-seam 80 between a first
point 281 and a second point 282, and to the right leg-shoulder-seam 90
between a first point 291 and a second point 292. Indents 230 are
provided on the left and right and the outline of the panel 200 is
stitched to attach it to the trunk section of the shorts.

[0057] FIG. 5 illustrates a third embodiment of a pair of compression
shorts 310 according to the invention. The features of the shorts are the
same as described above with respect to FIGS. 1 to 3 with the exception
that the front reinforcement is achieved by means of a single
reinforcement panel 300 providing the first and second forces extending
diagonally-downwards between the side-seams 50, 60 and the
leg-shoulder-seams 80, 90.

[0058] The single panel of reinforcing material 300 attaches the left
side-seam 50 between an upper point 350 and a lower point 351. The lower
point 351 is also the point at which the left side-seam intersects the
left leg-shoulder-seam. The panel attaches to the left leg-shoulder-seam
between the intersection of the leg-shoulder-seam and the left side-seam
351 and a second point 382.

[0059] The panel of reinforcing material 300 attaches the right side-seam
60 between an upper point 360 and a lower point 361. The lower point 361
is also the point at which the right side-seam intersects the right
leg-shoulder-seam. The panel attaches to the right leg-shoulder-seam
between the intersection of the leg-shoulder-seam and the right side-seam
361 and a second point 392.

[0060] The upper edge of the panel 330 and the lower edge of the panel 335
are both stitched to aid attachment to the trunk section. The
reinforcement panel 300 as illustrated in FIG. 5 may allow compressive
forces to be generated diagonally from left to right and from right to
left. The panel may also generate compressive forces that act both
transversely and longitudinally to the front of the wearer's pelvis.
Thus, the single reinforcement panel may provide compressive forces to a
wearer that influence the four muscle slings that contribute to pelvic
stability; the anterior, posterior, longitudinal and lateral slings.

[0061] Further stitching may be used to assist the attachment of the
reinforcement panel 300 to the front portion of the trunk section 22.
Such stitching may, for example, traverse the panel 300 and extend
between the side-seams 50, 60 and the leg-shoulder-seams 80, 90, or
between the side-seams 50, 60 and the upper edge of the panel 330. Such
stitching may increase the number of attachment points between the trunk
section and the reinforcement panel 300, which may increase the
effectiveness of the reinforcement. Such stitching may also be used for
decorative purposes. For example, stitching may be provided across the
single front reinforcement panel 300 such that it appears to be formed
from two or more separate panels arranged in a crossing configuration.